Multitrack Michael Jackson

For producers and vocalists, studying Michael Jackson’s multitracks offers three concrete lessons:

It was hypnotic. The shaker was a relentless, hissing snake charmer rhythm. Over it, Michael whispered the intro. He wasn't singing; he was breathing the melody. The isolation revealed the percussive nature of his voice—the popping 'P's, the sharp 'T's. He was treating his voice like a drum kit. multitrack michael jackson

Behind the seismic bass drum of Billie Jean , beneath the soaring synth of Thriller , and buried in the layered "shamone" of Bad lies a sonic laboratory. For most pop stars, a studio is a place to capture a performance. For Michael Jackson, it was a place to build a performance—track by painstaking track. For producers and vocalists